DIYers are being warned against installing their own slick stone countertops at home amid the rise of a fatal health condition.
In recent years, engineered stone countertops have become increasingly popular and quartz surface imports to the US increased 800 percent during 2010 to 2018.
An estimated 100,000 stone fabricators in the US are also at risk for silicosis because of dust exposure.
However, the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) notes that the condition is 'frequently misdiagnosed, so actual numbers may be quite higher'.
Until recent decades, silicosis traditionally affected older men working in industries such as mining and tunneling.
Composed of 90 percent ground quartz and 10 percent resins and pigments, engineered quartz countertops gained popularity because the material is less expensive than natural stone.
But it still has that glossy finish and durability that has become a must-have for modern kitchens.
The material debuted in the 1960s and was popularized in the 90s.
However, engineered stone materials may contain substantially more crystalline silica, with this silica dust being referred to as the 'next asbestos'.
El-Hasan says hat because of this mix of toxic ingredients, it is essential for DIYers to find out what chemicals they will be working with before they tackle projects.
He won at least $8 million or possibly more, depending on what a judge decides within the next month, against businesses that make and distribute engineered stone after jury agreed that they were at least partially responsible for the illness that has left him in pain and near death.
His lawyer James Nevin told DailyMail.com that he currently represents around 300 workers in California who have sustained painful lung injuries as a result of doing their home improvement jobs.
Many of the victims are in their 30s and 40s and will die within about ten years.
Mr Nevin told DailyMail.com: 'We're finding a 92 percent prevalence rate - most fabrication workers will get silicosis... this is just the tip of the iceberg.'
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